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                        <div class="heading1">Ritigala</div>
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                                                    <div class="article_title">Ancient Buddhist Monastery </div>
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                                                    <p class="no_margin">Ritigala is the partially excavated ruins of an extensive 
                                                    ancient Buddhist monastery, sited on a hill standing out against the flat jungle. 
                                                    Found just off the Anuradhapura – Habarana road, the ruins of this monastery are 
                                                    reached by a jungle track. Unlike the better known world heritage sites of Sigiriya 
                                                    and Dambulla, Ritigala is invariably empty with just the gate keeper and a guide 
                                                    present. Its isolated location and emptiness in comparison with the other Cultural 
                                                    Triangle sites can be exceptionally rewarding for those seeking the less trodden but 
                                                    equally fascinating ancient sites of "Undiscovered Sri Lanka".</p>

                                                   	<p>There are at least 70 caves at Ritigala. These were prepared for monks around the 1st 
                                                    century BC. An inscription in one of these caves mentions that King Lanjatissa, the 
                                                    brother of Duttagamini gifted it which bares testimony to this historical fact. 
                                                    Therefore he probably founded the first monastery at Ritigala.</p>
                                                    
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                                                    <p class="no_margin">It is the ruins of this monastery that King Sena I built for the Pansakulika monks 
                                                    that the modern pilgrim sees today. Sometime during the 8th century a group of monks 
                                                    broke away from the Abhayagiri and called themselves the Pansakulikas, that is 'The 
                                                    Rag-robe Warers'. Wearing robes made out of rags, usually shrouds picked up from 
                                                    cemeteries, is one of the thirteen ascetic practices (dhutanga) allowed by the Buddha.</p>
                                                    
                                                    <p >The fact that the Pansakulikas chose to name themselves after this particular practice 
                                                    suggests that they were reformers, probably protesting against what they saw as the 
                                                    comfort and indolence of the city monks. However, the remains of their monasteries 
                                                    suggest that they were something more than just a 'back to the forest movement'. All 
                                                    of their monasteries have certain mysterious features which are unique in Sri Lankan 
                                                    monastic architecture; long paved paths often with roundabouts in them, large stone-lined 
                                                    and stepped reservoirs and strangest of all so-called double platforms. These platforms 
                                                    are made out of huge slabs of beautifully cut stone and always occur in twos, joined by a 
                                                    bridge. They are usually built on natural rock foundations and are always aligned in the 
                                                    same direction. Near the platforms is often found a so-called urinal stone some of which 
                                                    are elaborately decorated. In fact, these 'urinal stones' are the only things in Pansakulika 
                                                    monasteries with any decorations on them at all. Further, no stupas, image houses, temples or 
                                                    images have ever been found at Pansakulika sites.</p>
                                                    
                                                    <p>The ancient site of Ritigala is one of the oldest and most well preserved Buddhist Monasteries 
                                                    in the World. We recommend it as a "must visit" site for the avid traveller interested in 
                                                    Cultural heritage and adventure. </p>

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